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Canon Image Challenge | all galleries >> Challenges From The Past >> 2011 Challenges >> CIC 40 : B/W or Toned (Hosted by Techo) >> CIC40 - Exhibition > 2nd
Swans
by davev
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10-FEB-2011 davev

2nd
Swans
by davev

Monticello Minnesota

A bit of Pixel Bender "Oilpaint" went into the processing of this shot.

Canon EOS 7D ,Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM
1/5000s f/4.0 at 300.0mm iso320 full exif

other sizes: small medium original auto
comment
Canon Image Challenge10-May-2011 23:31
I'm posting with not much time left till the challenge closes.. but how about a cooler tone? I've posted an edit in Pending. I hope you don't mind. Please feel free to remove it. Also, the Pending galleries are usually cleared a while after the challenge ends.

-Techo
Canon Image Challenge10-May-2011 09:14
Still fantastic but IMHO, by converting it into sepia, the image lost a lot. The original duotone treatment emphasized the silvery light which, together with the slight fog in the background, established an incomparable atmosphere.
Canon Image Challenge10-May-2011 04:43
Spectacular! Well worth going out in those temps to get this! ~Sharon
Canon Image Challenge10-May-2011 04:01
No prob Techo.
The warm color does lose something for me, but probably not anyone else.
When I go to get these shots of the swans, the temps are normally between
-10 and -20 degrees. Adding a warming color to it just doesn't seem natural.
For the small bright spots on the chests, I'm good with that. It's a by product of some of the processing. davev
Canon Image Challenge10-May-2011 02:43
Thanks Dave. I really hope you like the shot and still feel it rings true, even though it might've not been your original vision. I should only mention, the chests of both swans looks a bit overly bright on my screen. Mostly the one in the back.

-Techo
Guest 09-May-2011 15:11
A beautiful image. Love the very indistinct background elements and the sharply defined swans. Very nice. - CameraShy09
Canon Image Challenge08-May-2011 22:44
changed to sepia.
Canon Image Challenge08-May-2011 20:52
It's a wonderful shot! A keeper all the way.
The Oilpaint effect is quite faint but it really works well. Sometimes less is more and you've found a nice balance here.
I wouldn't change a thing but for the challenge at hand though, I'd perhaps like to see this in pure b/w or toned b/w. Sampling the color tone off the bird's body or beak and could be applied to the whole shot. Then slightly desaturated to tweak the tones further.
Cheers!
-Techo
Canon Image Challenge08-May-2011 15:22
I am a firm believer that it's all about the final product no matter what route you use to get there. This is fantastic, the detail is almost unbelievable. I predict it will take 1st place in Exhibition. And if not then you got hosed! Paul
Canon Image Challenge08-May-2011 11:35
elegant, beautiful image! shu
Canon Image Challenge08-May-2011 08:16
I like that Oil Paint, very subtle but....true to painting also. Traveller